When Two Friends Travel
by Middle-earthtoHogwarts
Summary: After the War of the Ring, Legolas and Gimli keep their promise to each other and travel Middle-earth. What dangers will they discover on the way, what friends will try make, and what enemies will find their weaknesses?
1. Chapter 1

It had been a month since Frodo Baggins sailed away from the harbour to the Grey Havens with Gandalf, Elrond and Galadriel. Aragorn and Arwen ruled in Gondor, and Eomer had inherited his uncle's throne in Rohan. The dark lord Sauron was dead, and the One ring was destroyed forever.

Despite all this, Legolas still remembered his promise to Gimli- they would go travelling together to see Fangorn forest and the caves of Helms Deep, and other places in Middle-earth.

Currently, Legolas sat high up in a tree surveying the community of the elves of Mirkwood. Then his gaze shifted across the trees in the direction of Erabor, the Lonely Mountain. The following morning, he would journey the small distance to visit Gimli, and together they would set off to travel Middle-earth again.

When morning dawned, Legolas had been up for an hour already. He had packed everything he needed into a small pack that he could carry easily through any terrain of Middle-earth without it getting too heavy.

Erabor loomed up in the distance. Legolas felt a little nervous going to the place of the dwarves. After all, they had been unofficial enemies since king Thranduil ignored the dwarves' cries for help when they're homeland was taken by Smaug the dragon.

Legolas came first to the city of Dale. He had heard that Smaug had done considerable damage to the city all those years ago, and was surprised to see that the men had rebuilt. The lonely mountain loomed up behind the city. As he approached, the doors swung open, and Legolas found himself being welcomed by two dwarves he didn't know.

"Welcome to Erabor, Master Elf," one of them said. "My son tells me you are have proven that elves can be trusted. Therefore, on his word, we have chosen to welcome you into our home."

"Thank you," The elf replied inclining his head Gloin.

Inside the Lonely Mountain was far more beautiful than Legolas had imagined it would be. He had imagined dark caverns with damp grey walls. What he saw instead were well lit corridors of stone shimmering with many precious and semi-precious stones embedded in the walls.

Gloin and his companion led Legolas into a large hall with long wooden tables running the length of the room. At the front of the room was another, shorter table. Dwarves sat at each of the tables eating and talking merrily. At the head table sat a dark haired dwarf who could only be King Thorin Oakenshield.

As Legolas approached, Thorin stood up. Immediately, the other dwarves ceased their talking and faced the head table out of respect and curiosity.

"Welcome, Legolas of Mirkwood," Thorin said. "Please sit and enjoy a meal with us." He indicated a chair a few seats away, next to Gimli who was grinning mischievously at his friend.

Gimli woke the morning Legolas was supposed to arrive. He took out small bag that he could wear on his back and packed a few small things to take along, including his elven cloak given to him from Lady Galadriel.

As Gimli placed the last item in his bag, his friend Gombur came in.

"What kind of prank are we going to play on the elf?" Gombur asked.

Gimli thought for a moment. "I was thinking of putting spiders in his soup."

"Isn't he from Mirkwood? Don't you think they breed spiders? They are elves after all."

"Hmm, I don't think they breed spiders, but good point. He's probably used to them." The two dwarves put their heads together for a good half hour before they came up with the perfect welcoming prank for Prince Legolas.

As Legolas took a seat next to Gimli in the banquets hall, Gimli looked up at his friend, trying not to smile. He failed, and a wide grin spread across his face. Legolas looked briefly confused, but his expression quickly changed when the food was served.

The table in front of them was rapidly filled with roast chicken, baked potatoes, mashed potatoes, a collection of vegetables, and many other things the elf did not recognize.

After a rather enjoyable meal, Gimli and friend Gombur (who had insisted on coming) showed Legolas to his room. They led him down a maze of corridors, that the elf was sure he would never find his way out of again. Eventually, they came to a red stone door.

"Have a good sleep," Gimli said.

"Thank you ,Gimli," Legolas said. As he walked into the room, the two dwarves heard him gasp before the door swung shut behind him and began laughing uncontrollably.


	2. Chapter 2

**sorry it took so long to update. Its kind if short, I wanted to make it longer, but couldn't think of anything else to write for this chapter. Anyway, enjoy!**

**DISCLAIMER. I do not own The Lord of the Rings or the characters. A few of the characters I have made up.**

Chapter 2

As Legolas walked into the room, he let out a gasp. The room was large, but it didn't contain any of the beauty he had seen in the corridors or the banquet hall. The floor contained layers of dust, cobwebs hung from the ceiling, the bed sheets were torn, and there was a broken wardrobe in the corner. And it smelled bad.

As he walked farther into the room, Legolas wondered how he was ever going to be able to sleep. A couple of moths flew out of the bed as he pulled the covers back. Moths and spiders didn't bother him too much, it was the smell that he couldn't stand. It was a musty staleness that suggested the room had been unused for decades. And it was extremely strong.

After tossing and turning on the rotting bed for two hours, the door creaked open and the silhouette of a dwarf stood in the doorway. The dwarf entered the room and sat down on an old chair next to the bed.

"Would you like to go to your room now?" Gimli asked.

Puzzled, Legolas sat up and stared at his friend. Noting the confusion in the elf, Gimli explained his long term plan to prank Legolas when he came to visit. When he was done, the two friends laughed for about five minutes before Gimli led Legolas down another maze of corridors to where the elf would really be sleeping for that night.

"Get a good night rest," Gimli said as he left the room.

"You also," Legolas said as he drifted off to sleep.

In the morning, though Legolas couldn't tell for certain that is was morning, Gimli returned to the chamber and led Legolas back to the banquet hall for breakfast. There they had toast with a variety of jams, some pastries, and fruit juice.

As Gimli and Legolas prepared to leave for their journey, King Thorin met them at the entrance of Erabor to give them a blessing of good fortune on their journey. Gimli said goodbye to his friend Gombur and his father, an the two companions set off on their journey.

"I was thinking of going to visit the hobbits in the Shire," Gimli said as they made their way through the city of Dale. Legolas agreed and they set off into the west.

The route they took to arrive at the Shire, Gimli thought, was probably the one, or similar to the one, his father had taken with the company of dwarves, Bilbo Baggins and Gandalf, only in reverse.

Nearing the end of the first day of traveling, they had made it back into Mirkwood. It had been decided that they would try to avoid the other elves as much as possible. Despite all of Legolas's claims that Gimli was his friend and wouldn't be rude, King Thranduil would not have a dwarf coming into the village.

They made camp at the base of a large tree. As Legolas went off to hunt for their meal, Gimli made a fire. While the elf was gone, Gimli felt a little uneasy in the forest. He couldn't stop wondering if one of the giant spiders Gloin had encountered on his journey might come rushing out of the trees at him.

Once the fire was going, Gimli spent the next ten minutes nervously looking through the trees. At on point he heard a rustling of leaves, but it turned out to just be a rabbit.

"You could have been quicker," Gimli said when Legolas finally returned carrying two rabbits and a few wild berries.

"It takes time to hunt, my friend," was all Legolas said in return.

The two of them ate in silence before settling down to sleep.


End file.
